HC-130P/N Combat King (AFRES)
United States Air Force Reserve

HC-130P/N Combat King
Operator: 920th Rescue Group
Location: Patrick AFB, Florida (USA)
Timeframe: 1995-1999
Loadout: Combat Search and Rescue
- Outboard: 2x Refueling Pods
- Inboard: 2x Fuel Tanks

Personal Interest:
This model represents a HC-130P/N of the AFRES 920th Rescue Group. I frequently provided weather briefings to HC-130P/N crews of the 920th RQG and the USAF 71st Rescue Squadron during my tour of duty at Patrick AFB, Florida. These units performed the combat search and rescue mission, which included high and low altitude personnel & equipment airdrops, infiltration/exfiltration of personnel, helicopter air-to-air refueling, and forward area refueling point missions. Crews stationed at Patrick AFB had the unique assignment of providing Space Shuttle support for NASA, on standby to perform emergency search and rescue for every launch. HC-130P/N crews also conducted humanitarian assistance operations, disaster response, and noncombatant evacuation operations worldwide. Sadly, five members of the 71st RQS were killed in the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia during their deployment to Operation Southern Watch.